Running-board.



w. E. FOWLER, sR.

RUNNING BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED DEQ. 10. NH].

Patented June 4, 19l&

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J? 26 2; J? 75 l 20 J6 J6 J5 W. E. FOWLER, SR-

RUNNING BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I0. I91].

Patented June 4, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I. I Q I WILLIAM E. FOWLER, $3., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE FOWLER. CAB COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RUNNING-BOARD.

Application filed December 10, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. FOWLER, Sn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running- Boards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway cars and particularly to novel fastening means for freight car running boards.

One of the objects of my improvement is to provide fastening means which shall be extremely simple and economical. I am aware that many saddles embodying means for fastening the ends of the running boards have been devised some of which are eflicientand serve to accomplish the purpose for which they are designed. All of them, however, are relatively uneconomical in manufacturing cost and maintenance.

Due to the increased length of cars and the scarcity of lumber which will furnish boards of the requisite lengths, it is now necessary to utilize several lengths of boards in one running board and means must be provided for preventing the projection of one end of a board above the surface of the walk toavoid the possibility of tripping, particularly at night. Unless means are provided which permit of the ready replacement of boards, the danger of broken or distorted running boards is increased. The

' present improvement is so designed that replacement of boards may be accomplished in a minimum of time. Furthermore, the original cost is relatively very small.

Another of the important objects is to provide means in the form of a light binding strap for the ends of the boards wh1ch shall at the same time positively prevent the middle portion of the strap from buckling or bending up and thereby obstructing the surface. This is accomplished by utilizing a tie rod.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a runnmg board fastening device such as contemplated by me;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the construction shown in Figs. 1 nd Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1918.

Serial No. 206,374.

Fig. 4: is a plan View of a slightly modified form of the device;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view thereof;

Fig. 6 is an end View of the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a further modification;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a still further modification Fig. 10 is a plan view thereof, and,

Fig. 11 is an end view of the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

In Fig. 2 the car roof is indicated at 10, and a wooden running board saddle at 11. The saddle, as best shown in Fig. 2, has its lower surface shaped to fit the car roof and on its upper surface is provided with inclined grooves 12, for the accommodation of a clamping rod or bolt 13, hereafter de scribed. The ends 14:, of the saddle are notched to provide for vertical fastening bolts 15. The running boards 16, terminate on top of the saddle and are held in place by the clamp or band 17 which may be in the form of a flat strap of pressedmetal. At intermediate points in the length of the strap I offset the same as at 18, to serve as spacing means for the running boards. These offset portions are apertured to accommodate the rod 13. At the ends the strap is bent downwardly and then slightly inwardly as at 19, the last named portion also being apertured to accommodate the rod 13. The upper surface of thestrap at its extreme outer edge and outside of the line of the running boards is apertured to accommodatethe button-head bolts 20, which pass downwardly alongside the outer running boards and terminate beneath the notched end of the wooden saddle.

The rod 13, is, as shown, bent somewhat, its upper portion 21, lying close to the strap while its ends are bent diagonally downward and occupy the grooves 12, in the saddle. It will be seen that a longitudinal force applied to the rod tends to exert a downward pull on the strap and to hold the parts securely in position. The vertical bolts may be used or not as desired. It will undoubtedly be found in service that the same are unnecessary particularly if the ends of the strap are hooked somewhat to underlie the notched portion of the saddle.

In the construction of Figs. 4 and 5, the saddle 22, and rod 23, remain the same. The

. strap or clamping member is slightly modido not extend inward to the limit shown 1 in the drawings. The ends of the clamp are also slightly modified. The ends are stepped downward as at 25, in order that the end of the bolt 26, may lie beneath the surface of the strap or clamp.

In the construction of Figs. 9 and 10, the saddle 31, and rod 32, remain unchanged. The clamping member 33, is a casting and is provided with integral apert'ured lugs or ears 34;, on its under surface which perform the functions heretofore described; that is, the spaced lugs serve to separate the running boards and to act as bearings for the clamping rod. The end construction is the same as that shown in Fig. 2.

In all of the forms so far described, a single truss or clamping rod is employed, this rod extending upwardly and occupying a space between the abutting ends of the boards. However, in the construction shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 11, I provide for the use of two clamping rods 35, 36, which hear at their ends on an inclined portion of the saddle 37, and act in the same manner as heretofore described. However, when two such rods are employed they must lie below the running boards, and to this end I provide a strap 38, having depressed portions 39, which act as spacers for the running boards. In these depressions I mount U-shaped members 40, having hooked ends 41,which engage the rods 35, 36. The end construction is the same except that a single bolt 42, is employed which may be located at the center of the saddle.

Other modifications will undoubtedly suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and I do not wish to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a running board construction, the combination of a saddle, boards the ends of which terminate at the saddle, a strap, means for spacing apart the boards, and a trans verse bolt engaging and serving to exert a downward pull on said spacing means, substantially as described.

2. In a running board, the combination of a saddle, boards resting thereon, a strap overlying said boards, means for spacing apart said boards, means for exerting a downward pull on the ends of the strap, and a truss rod extending transversely of the running board engaging said spacing means and exerting a downward pull there on, substantially as described.

3. In a running board, the combination of a saddle, boards resting thereon, a clamping member overlying said boards, thimbles secured to said clamping member, said thimbles being so located as to serve to space said boards, and a long bolt extending transversely of the running board, said bolt engaging said thimbles and the ends of said clamping member and serving to exert a downward pull on the thimbles, substantially as described.

4. In a running board, the combination of a support, boards terminating at said support, a strap overlying the abutting ends of the boards, thimbles on said strap, said thimbles serving to space apart the boards, a long bolt extending transversely of the running board, said bolt being deflected upwardly at its middle portion and engaging said thimbles, and means for tightening said bolt and thereby tending to straighten the same to exert a downward pull on the thimbles, substantially as described.

5. In a construction of the class described, the combination of a saddle, boards the ends of which rest thereon, a strap overlying the abutting ends of the boards, the ends of the strap being bent downwardly and backwardly, means for fastening down the ends of the strap, and a bent rod extending transversely of the running board, said rod engaging the strap near its middle portion and at its ends having a bearing on the backwardly bent portions of the strap, and means for exerting a pull tending to straighten said rod, substantially as described.

6. In a running board, the combination of a saddle, boards terminating thereon, a strap overlying said boards, intermediate portions of said strap being offset to form spacers for the boards, said oifset portions being apertured, and a bent rod. extending transversely of the running board and engaging said oflset portions, the arrangement being such that said rod tends to clamp the ends of the strap and exert a downward pull on the intermediate portions thereof, substantially as described.

7. In a running board, a wooden saddle and a metal clamp to bind the boards to the saddle, said metal clamp comprising a band and a threaded rod, said band being adapted to lie over the boards and being provided on its underside Withspacing devices which serve to provide a connection for the thread-- ed rod, the arrangement being such that when force is exerted on the rod a downward pull is exerted on the band, substantially as described.

8. In a running board, a saddle, a band and a rod for securing boards to said saddle, said rod extending transversely of the running board and being bent to lie close to the upper surface of the band at its center portion and its ends extending diagonally downward away from the top of the band, substantially as described.

9. In a running board, a saddle formed of Wood and shaped to fit over the apex of a car roof and provided with channels in its upper surface, a clamp for boards and a rod extending transversely of the running board and adapted to occupy said channels, substantially as described.

10. A running board saddle comprising a Wooden base and a metallic clamp, and a vertical bolt engaging said clamp and pass ing through the part of said base lying outside of the outer edge of the running board, substantially as described.

11. A clamp for running boards, said clamp being composed of metal and having a horizontal main portion and downwardly extending ends, and combined spacing members and binder rod bearings formed integrally with the clamp, substantially as described.

12. A running board saddle comprising a wooden base and a metallic clamp, the Woodenbase being grooved on its upper edge and reduced in thickness at its ends, and vertical bolts engaging said clamp and passing through the reduced end portions of the wooden base, substantially as described.

Signed at Chicago, 111., this 4th day of December, 1917.

Witness T. D. BUTLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

